Shanghai Convenience Store Sells 200 Different Types of Foreign Beers

Haifu convenience store in western Shanghai has a collection of 200 foreign beers, mostly from Belgium, Germany and the United States. On a fine day, the shop front is swamped with people enjoying a drink after work. “Sometimes they come in groups of 30 or even 50. Some just stand or sit on the steps,” said Zhang Yindi, the 52-yearold owner who goes by the nickname “Auntie Beer”. The store opens at 8 am and closes at midnight. In summer it stays open around the clock, with Zhang’s brother and son taking shifts…Full Article: China Daily Apr 2015

Key Point

In November 2014, China National Radio noted that the country consumes 34.2 liters (~72 pints) of beer per capita annually.

ChinaAg Comments

As of early 2015, the five breweries of Huarun Snow Beer Co Ltd, Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd, Anheuser–Busch InBev (e.g. Budweiser), Beijing Yanjing Brewery, and the Carlsberg Group had an 80% share of the Chinese beer market.

In 1998, China overtook Germany as the number two consumer of beer, and passed the United States as the top consumer in 2002.

Chinese imports of roasted malt (used in craft beer production) are modest. From 2007 to 2012, mainland China imports of roasted malt increased from 9,924 MTs to 13,790 MTs (+39%), while equivalent values rose from US$4.5 million to US$8.5 million (+90%). Belgium was the dominant supplier, accounting for 74% of China’s imports by volume in 2012.